Contention
by AirbendersUnited
Summary: "This is war, we'll have to prepare." The war between the Changlings and the ponies has just begun. AU. Fourth in the 'Discovering Ourselves' series.
1. Chapter 1: Princess Chrysa

The Mane 6, the CMC, Blank, Discord, and Spike stood on the balcony of Twilight's castle. They had all stayed the night, but Celestia, Luna, and Cadence had gone back to their respective kingdoms. Twilight glanced at Discord, and he looked back at the princess in respect.

"Do you think this will work, Discord?" Twilight asked.

Discord shrugged, "It may, it may not. But whether or not it does work, I will be by your side, Princess Twilight."

Twilight nodded and folded her wings in, "Thank you."

The last of Ponyville made their way in front of the balcony on the ground, talking amongst themselves.

"I wonder what this is about?"

"Prehaps Mayor Mare is getting revoked in favor of Princess Twilight's rule?"

"I wonder what all the troops are about?" It was true, troops made up of pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies were there, surrounding all sides of the castle.

"Maybe they're to help us rebuild after Tirek's attacked?"

"They are not for any of those things, although I wish they were," Twilight's loud and confident voice boomed from the balcony above Ponyville. Luna had taught her to use the Royal Canterlot Voice, and now it was paying off, "but it is for something much graver and more dangerous." She nodded at the Changling beside her and he stepped up, putting a hoof on the balcony and peering down at them.

The Ponyvillians gasped.

"Has the princess gone mad?"

"Why is there a Changling up on the balcony?"

"I can assure you that he is our ally," Twilight continued, although nothing had happened, "and he will help us to prepare."

Blank leaned foward, "My name is Blank Slate. I am an ex-royal guard of the Changling empire, and not loyal to the queen. You may question my intentions at first but I can assure you, I am nothing to worry about." He chuckled softly and continued, "I am loyal to Princess Twilight and the rest of Equestria only, and am willing to fight by your side."

"Fight by our side?" A colt questioned.

Blank nodded, "Yes. You see"-he began pacing- "for the longest time, Queen Chrysalis has been planning war against Equestria. Her daughter, Princess Chrysanthemum, also known as Princess Chrysa, and I never thought war was a good idea, seeing as it would completely destroy the Changling empire and turn the very land Chrysalis was trying to rule into ruins. I've seen ponykind fight, especially these 6" -he spread a delicate wing to gesture to the Mane 6, who were standing to the left of him- "and your kind fight hard, and never give up until you get back what is rightfully yours." He looked up and frowned, tilting his head and looking into the sun. Was that...

"PRINCESS CHRYSA!" He ran back, then ran forward, jumping off the balcony and flying towards the Changling princess. Twilight followed him, flying side by side with Blank until they reached Chrysa. Her entire body was covered with cuts that were clearly infected, and her white, lean body was sagging. Along with her clear wings, which were flapping very slowly, and her mane, which was dark red and light pink and cut unevenly, the princess looked exhausted. The only royal garment on her was her gold crown. Her light pink insect like eyes focused on Blank weakly.

"Blank..." Chrysa whispered, "get me to the castle..."

Blank looked at Twilight, who noded, and with her help flew her to the castle. The Ponyvillians gasped as another Changling, this one no doubt the princess seeing as she was taller then Blank, was helped to the castle by Twilight and Blank themselves. They set her down on the balcony and she collapsed after taking a couple hoofsteps.

Everything went black.

* * *

><p>When the Changling Princess awoke, the first thing she saw was soft blue walls. She heard the beep of machinery and realized that her limbs were in bandages, she herself in a hospital bed with a blanket over her. The pain was nothing but a dull throb. Chrysa shook her head and sat up, feeling her dark red and pink mane slide through water. She looked behind her and realized her head was in a basin. She shakily got out of the bed.<p>

The door opened and the Princess looked over curiously. Nurse Redheart walked in and Chrysa gasped, cowering back.

"Get away from me!" She yelled. Redheart looked surprised but then slowly walked further into the room, keeping the door open.

"I've been captured by ponykind..." Chrysa gasped.

"No, you haven't." Redheart sighed, "Your mother was trying to kill you. She had the rest of the Changling empire disguise themselves as ponies so that you wouldn't think your own kind would try to kill you."

That's right. It was all coming back to her now. Chrysanthemum's pink eyes widened, and she shuddered, sitting down, "I never thought that this would happen... and this was all because I don't like war. I told Blank to leave me behind...he was the only one who was truly there for me, a friend in a bunch of foes. He did and I tried to get as much information as I could, but then I was caught, blacked out, and then when I woke up my entire world had changed."

"I'm sorry that happened to you, dear," Redheart said sympathetically, "but Blank and Princess Twilight wish to see you as soon as possible. Do you know the way there?"

Princess Chrysanthemum shook her head and Redheart led her out the room, out the hospital, and pointed. Chrysa gasped as she saw the dark blue, blue, purple, gold, and pink tree-like castle, and started walking towards it.

* * *

><p>5 minutes later she reached her destinations and peered at it curiously. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and it opened to reveal the princess and Blank.<p>

Chrysta gasped and rushed forward, hugging Blank with tears in her eyes. She looked at Twilight over his shoulder and saw the famed alicorn for the first time in her life.

Twilight had large lavender wings, and her coat was lavender. Her mane was straight and in its usual style, along with her tail. Both were a indigo color with a dark purple stripe and a hot pink stripe next to that. She was taller then Blank and the same size as her, and had a pink 6 pointed star as a cutie mark with 6 smaller white stars surrounding it. Her crown was pointed and gold, with the points having dark pink jewels in them.

Chyrsta bowed her head and Twilight stepped foward, letting her horn touch the distraught princess's. The Changling opened her eyes and opened her mouth, letting her small fangs gleam for a moment, and then said, "Thank you."

Twilight let her purple eyes look into Chrysta's pink eyes and said, "You are welcome. Follow me."

Chrysta broke the hug with Blank and they followed Twilight down the hall, closing the large gold doors behind them. "Princess Chrysanthemum," Twilight said, addressing her formally, "why did you come here?"

"They were planning a war, Princess Twilight," Chrysa answered, as they walked into tne throne room, "and there was no way I could see that much bloodshed."

The other ponies looked over at Twilight, Blank, and Chrysa. "Thank you for bringing me here," Chyrsa said.

"It is no problem," Twilight said, "welcome to the team."


	2. Chapter 2: The Battle of Cloudsdale

Chyrsa looked around at the elite team. Twilight folded her wings in.

"Um...can you please introduce yourselves?" She asked.

The ponies introduced themselves one by one and Chyrsa felt slight relief. Blank walked up to her, "Um...Princess Chrysanthemum, your introductions." He bowed down to her.

The Changling Princess raised her eyes from her personal servant/guard/friend to the ponies, and shifted from one holey hoof to the other, "My name is Princess Chrysanthemum of the Changling Empire. You can call me Chyrsa."

Rarity gasped at the sight of the Changling Princess. She had a twisted pinkish white unicorn horn, a pair of tattered insect wings, and stood as tall as Twilight. Her entire coat was a whitish pink color, and she had a sharp pair of fangs and light pink eyes with elongated oval pupils. She had a dark red and pink mane and tail, pink chitinous plating over her midsection, and her legs, mane, and tail, along with her horn, are full of holes, and she was very slender. She was wearing a gold crown as well. There were bandages on her body.

The princess awkwardly put one hoof in front of the other and rubbed them together. "I hope I can help you guys in any way I can." Twilight walked up to her, her wings spread out.

"Yes, I am sure you can," the princess responded, tilting her head. Chrysa smiled.

"Thank you, Twilight."

"Spike, send a letter to Celestia, Luna, and Cadence," Twilight ordered, turning around and starting to pace, "and tell them I need them here as soon as possible. Scootaloo, heal the princess's wounds."

Chyrsa saw a young orange filly with a cowlicked purple mane and tail trot forward. She was a pegasus, and had purple eyes as well. Her cutie mark was that of a white feather with a red cross behind it. "This is going to feel a bit strange, like your limbs fell asleep and they're waking up," Scootaloo said. She let out a breath on Chyrsa's shoulder and the princess's wounds began to heal, the infection going away and the dirt being flushed out as well. With a tug from her magic, the bandages fell away.

"Thank you," the princess said. Then she realized something: this was one of the three Immunity spirits. She added, "Immunity of the Pegasi."

Scootaloo flushed. "Please, call me Scootaloo."

Spike finished writing the letter and took a deep breath, letting it out. Fire came out of his mouth and Chrysanthemum jumped back, and his fire engulfed the letter and sent it out a stained glass window. "Don't worry, Princess, that's normal," Blank supplied, walking up to her, "and it happens regularly."

Chrysa relaxed, "Thank you Blank."

* * *

><p>Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were the first to walk through the doors, and the former froze at the sight of the Changling Princess. She also caused the latter to bump into her. Chrysa blinked and waved awkwardly, "Um...hi. I'm Princess-"<p>

"-Chrysanthemum of the Changling Empire." finished a voice. It was Princess Celestia and Princess Luna at the door. Chrysa nodded, and slowly backed up a couple hoofsteps.

"What are you doing here?" Cadence asked, takinga defensive pose.

Blank walked foward, standing in front of the spirits of Love and Protection, "Guys, calm down, she's a friend."

"Really," Shining Armor said, "and also Queen Chrysalis's daughter!"

Chrysanthemum winced, "Yes, but not all Changlings are the same."

Scootaloo winced suddenly and bent down, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. "Are you ok?" Cadence asked, walking over to her.

"No..." the filly whispered, "Cloudsdale is under attack."

* * *

><p>Twilight teleported them into a war zone. Clouds were falling and Rainbow Dash and Cadence immediately took flight and rushed foward. Twilight cast a walking on clouds spell and bounded foward, jumping foward with her wings spread out. She flapped her wings and galloped foward, charging her horn. Her friends followed suit, and Chrysa and Blank donned disquises before following the elite team in a v formation. The two were galloping side by side.<p>

Scootaloo got a boost from Rainbow and started to fly. Weaving in and out of the fighting civilians/soilders, she looked for an opening, and finally found one when she saw a pegasas, actually a Changling, about to strike down a soilder. Carefully she angled herself and hit the latter dead on. Being an Immunity spirit meant she could see past the Changling's disquises and see the real them. The Changing fell to the cloud floor and Scootaloo braced her front hoofs on the Changling's stomach, ripping its wings off.

The Changling screamed and tried to twist away and spear her with its horn. A light green magic blast knocked it away and Scootaloo turned. She saw an angry Sweetie Belle with her horn surrounded by her magic aura. Scootaloo took the opportunity to kick a hole in the clouds and Apple Bloom galloped foward, kicking the Changling down. Scootaloo sealed it then.

"Are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked, her and Apple Bloom walking over to Scootaloo.

"Yeah, I am- LOOK OUT!" The three fillies looked to see a torpedo headed their way and braced themselves. There was an explosion, followed by... nothing.

The fillies opened their eyes to see Twilight, Cadence, and Chrysa in front of them, with a sheild. The shield was glowing, ranging between a light pink, a violet pink, and a light blue. Scootaloo's body sagged, "Thanks for the save, guys."

"No problem," Cadence breathed.

They broke the shield and the alicorns galloped off to help more people. The fillies ran.

Twilight ran for the nearest Changling, who was making a group of Twilights. The alicorn fired attack beams from her horn, as did Chrysa and Cadence. One Changling jumped on Chyrsa's back and sunk its fangs into her neck. Chyrsa screamed in pain and Cadence jumped over her back, tackling the Changling to the cloud cover and spearing it through the neck with her horn. The Changling twitched as the light slowly left its eyes, and Cadence galloped away. She'd killed two Changlings so far.

Meanwhile, Twilight was hitting Changling after Changling with her attack beams. They followed the targets when the Changlings tried to flee and hit it spot on, killing them instantly. A Changling disguised as Fluttershy rushed up to her and kicked the alicorn, making Twilight scream as her back hit the clouds. "Fluttershy" prepared for a counter attack and Twilight rolled out of the way, getting up and galloping away, with "Fluttershy" following her. She stopped short and ducked as the Changling soared over her, surprised by her sudden stop, and crased into the ground. Twilight crushed it with her hooves.

And the battle, the first battle of the war, raged on...

* * *

><p>One hour later, Twilight and co. stood in a battlefield of dead Changlings and pegasi alike. Celestia and Luna had gone back to Canterlot to prepare. The clouds were speckled with blood.<p>

Twilight's horn glowed and a map of Equestria, along with a tack, appeared. She stuck a tack in the area of Cloudsdale. The words "Battle of Cloudsdale" appeared, hanging off the tack. Twilight sighed and puffed the map away.

They then teleported away, back to the castle.


	3. Chapter 3: The Logical Battle Plan

Twilight sat in her throne, defeated. They had fought long, and they had fought hard, but it was like Chrysalis had already won the war. There were more ponies slain then Changlings... but, she reminded herself, this was only the first battle of the war.

The Battle of Cloudsdale.

_None of us are meant for war._

* * *

><p>"Girls," Twilight said, "we need sleep."<p>

She was speaking to Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Cadence, and Chyrsa. In the next room over, Shining Armor was giving the beginnings of a similar speech to the males. Twilight looked at her girls, "After this, we have to travel."

"Travel?" Sweetie asked, at the same time Chyrsa asked, "Travel where?"

"I do not know yet," Twilight answered, "because the Queen's attacks are not following a logical pattern. It doesn't make sense..."

"Of course it doesn't," Rainbow spoke up, "'cause she's a couple nutjob and an even bigger bitch!"

"Of course it doesn't," Chyrsa repeated, "because my mother has a twisted sense of logic. Or she doesn't use it at all. Either way, you'll need to get inside her head to understand her plans."

"Logic cannot be twisted," Twilight said sarcastically, but all the same, she was right.

"So where are we headed?" Cadence asked.

"I do not know," Twilight answered, "wherever the bloodshed carries us."

* * *

><p>"Wake up, wake up! I have figured out what Chrysalis plans to do!"<p>

Rainbow Dash sped over to Twilight, "What is it?"

"She attacked Clousdale yesterday because it had one of the largest weapons arsenal in all of Equestria," Twilight began, "and because that's where most of the pegasi army is. She figured she could have the advantage by making us flightless. Then she would attack from above!"

"That makes perfect sense!" Cadence said. "Where are we going?"

"We cannot go to Cloudsdale; it is too dangerous," Twilight said, "so we are staying here for now. Princess Luna is coming to Ponyville. We are going to meet her at the train."

The ponies galloped out the room.

* * *

><p>They met Princess Luna at the train station. As they walked, Twilight told her Chrysalis's plan. "In other words, we are going to have to attack. If our plan is found out, we will need another one," Twilight said, finishing up her retelling.<p>

Luna nodded, "Yes, it makes perfect sense. Your logic is sound. But how will we attack?"

Twilight shook her head. "I do not know," she said, "but I think we can do it. However, we will need the help of the Crystal pony section of the army."

"The Crystal ponies? Why them?" Cadence asked, with a hint of sharpness.

"Simple... do you know why Sombra used the crystal ponies as slaves instead of killing them?"

"No..." Luna paused and Cadence picked up the question from where she left off, "why?"

"Because their bodies are as hard as diamonds. Nothing could kill them unless they die naturally on their own," Twilight explained. "And I have evidence to prove this theory. I tested it out the other day, and the results are facinating."

"I know now where we must go," Twilight said, "to the Crystal Empire!"

* * *

><p>The girls took the train to the Crystal Empire, nervousness in their hearts. The second they hopped off the train, ponies bowed down to them, but they didn't pay any attention. Cadence reverted to her Crystal pony form instantly. They galloped to the castle. "All of the buildings," Cadence began, "are made of imitation crystal, but not diamond. It could easily be broken with a torpedo strike. The castle is the only actual building here that is made of real crystal, of diamond."<p>

The ponies and one changling galloped into the castle, and saw Flash Sentry almost instantly. "I heard about your battle in Cloudsdale, are you okay?"

"We are okay," Twilight assured him, "but we found out Chrysalis's plan."

Cadence stepped in front of them, "Follow me."

She led them, all walking and in a line, towards the room with the round table. They assembled in an orderly fashion. "The rest of us are all going to need armor, as soon as possible," Cadence said, and Twilight picked up where she left off, "as will every citizen of Equestria. There will have to be armories."

Twilight paused before she said was was on everypony's minds, and what everypony was fearing, "All of us will have to do something in this war."


End file.
